Next Mountain Please

Not so far as a month from our Mount Pulag expedition, Team AIM is cooking up yet another climbing trip up north. After a couple of email exchanges (thanks God for technology!), the choices are Mount Cinco Picos (Five Peaks) in zambales and Mount Mariveles (Tarak Ridge) in Bataan and the dates are either on the long weekend of April 4-6 or April 18-19.

We've scaled Cinco Picos before so if we are to push through with the April 4-6 schedule, we'll take a different route... a longer, more arduous one (as if our first Cinco Picos climb is not). However, Tarak Ridge is a first for all of us plus there's a side trip to Corregidor! So in the end, Mount Mariveles on an April 18-19 schedule outweigh the Mount Cinco Picos long weekend.

Here's an informative site I searched on the net regarding trekking on Tarak Ridge...
http://www.pinoymountaineer.com/2007/08/tarak-ridge-1130.html


* pic-napped from lakwatserong.ticsay.ph

And here's our proposed itinerary:
Estimated Trek Time: 5 hours

April 18, 2009 - Saturday, Day 1
04:30 - Assembly at Cubao Five Star Bus terminal (Bataan Transit Bus)
05:30 - ETD to Mariveles, Bataan
08:30 - ETA Barangay Alas-asin (Jump Off); Register at Barangay Hall
09:00 - Start Trek
10:00 - "Triangle" clearing
12:00 - ETA Papaya River; Lunch
13:00 - Resume Trek
15:00 – ETA Tarak Ridge (Tarak and El Saco peaks)
16:30 – Back to Papaya River; Set camp
18:00 – Dinner; Social
20:00 - Lights out

April 19, 2009 - Sunday, Day 2
05:00 - Wake-up call; Prepare Breakfast
06:00 - Break camp
06:30 - Start descent
08:30 - ETA Barangay Alas-asin (Jump Off); Buy food in Market
09:00 – ETD to Villa Carmen
09:10 – ETD to Corregidor
10:00 – ETA to Corregidor
10:30 – Lunch/Swimming/Tour Corregidor
15:30 - ETD from Corregidor
16:30 - ETA to Barangay Alas-asin
17:00 - ETD to Cubao, Manila
20:00 - ETA, Manila

*****

Estimated Expenses

* Bus fare from Cubao to Mariveles, Bataan (Five Star Bus) = P534 (two way)
* Barangay Alas-asin Registration Fee = P40
* Jampong Trail Registration = P10
* Lunch in Corregidor = P220

That's just around P800 rounded total. But I recommend bringing at least P1,300 per pax for any expenses we might incur along the way. Take note that the boat ride from Villa Carmen to Corregidor is not yet factored in but it should not cost as much as P200 per pax given we were about more than 10 in the group.

*****

Essential Gears and Equipments

· Backpack (mountaineering standards)
· Sleeping bag / tent
· Flashlight / Headlamp (with extra batteries)
· Mess kits (utensils)
· Trash bags
· Personal medication / First Aid Kit
· 2 liters Drinking Water
· Off Lotion or any mosquito repellant
· Sets of clothing (Cool fit shirt or Mesh shirt)
· Trekking Shoes/sandals
· Cap / Bush hat
· Arm Warmer
· Leg warmer or Tights or Leggings
· Trekking shorts or Pants
· Thermal Jacket
· Hand Gloves

Next Mountain Please

Not so far as a month from our Mount Pulag expedition, Team AIM is cooking up yet another climbing trip up north. After a couple of email exchanges (thanks God for technology!), the choices are Mount Cinco Picos (Five Peaks) in zambales and Mount Mariveles (Tarak Ridge) in Bataan and the dates are either on the long weekend of April 4-6 or April 18-19.

We've scaled Cinco Picos before so if we are to push through with the April 4-6 schedule, we'll take a different route... a longer, more arduous one (as if our first Cinco Picos climb is not). However, Tarak Ridge is a first for all of us plus there's a side trip to Corregidor! So in the end, Mount Mariveles on an April 18-19 schedule outweigh the Mount Cinco Picos long weekend.

Here's an informative site I searched on the net regarding trekking on Tarak Ridge...
http://www.pinoymountaineer.com/2007/08/tarak-ridge-1130.html


* pic-napped from lakwatserong.ticsay.ph

And here's our proposed itinerary:
Estimated Trek Time: 5 hours

April 18, 2009 - Saturday, Day 1
04:30 - Assembly at Cubao Five Star Bus terminal (Bataan Transit Bus)
05:30 - ETD to Mariveles, Bataan
08:30 - ETA Barangay Alas-asin (Jump Off); Register at Barangay Hall
09:00 - Start Trek
10:00 - "Triangle" clearing
12:00 - ETA Papaya River; Lunch
13:00 - Resume Trek
15:00 – ETA Tarak Ridge (Tarak and El Saco peaks)
16:30 – Back to Papaya River; Set camp
18:00 – Dinner; Social
20:00 - Lights out

April 19, 2009 - Sunday, Day 2
05:00 - Wake-up call; Prepare Breakfast
06:00 - Break camp
06:30 - Start descent
08:30 - ETA Barangay Alas-asin (Jump Off); Buy food in Market
09:00 – ETD to Villa Carmen
09:10 – ETD to Corregidor
10:00 – ETA to Corregidor
10:30 – Lunch/Swimming/Tour Corregidor
15:30 - ETD from Corregidor
16:30 - ETA to Barangay Alas-asin
17:00 - ETD to Cubao, Manila
20:00 - ETA, Manila

*****

Estimated Expenses

* Bus fare from Cubao to Mariveles, Bataan (Five Star Bus) = P534 (two way)
* Barangay Alas-asin Registration Fee = P40
* Jampong Trail Registration = P10
* Lunch in Corregidor = P220

That's just around P800 rounded total. But I recommend bringing at least P1,300 per pax for any expenses we might incur along the way. Take note that the boat ride from Villa Carmen to Corregidor is not yet factored in but it should not cost as much as P200 per pax given we were about more than 10 in the group.

*****

Essential Gears and Equipments

· Backpack (mountaineering standards)
· Sleeping bag / tent
· Flashlight / Headlamp (with extra batteries)
· Mess kits (utensils)
· Trash bags
· Personal medication / First Aid Kit
· 2 liters Drinking Water
· Off Lotion or any mosquito repellant
· Sets of clothing (Cool fit shirt or Mesh shirt)
· Trekking Shoes/sandals
· Cap / Bush hat
· Arm Warmer
· Leg warmer or Tights or Leggings
· Trekking shorts or Pants
· Thermal Jacket
· Hand Gloves